he’d really been with Scrooge in drag. That was it. He was done with women.
Except Merilee. He needed to find a way to set things right for her. How, exactly, he was going to do that he had no idea.
Tom was getting restless in the backseat so Zach took him to the house and set him free. “Try to eat something, and don’t whiz in the house,” he told Tom, and then drove off.
Halfway to the animal shelter the snow started falling, big fluffy flakes that looked like they meant to stick. That was sure to result in traffic accidents and trouble. It didn’t snow a lot in the Northwest, but when it did people freaked out. He passed very few cars on the way to the shelter and once there he found only two in the parking lot, probably belonging to the employees. Was one of them Merilee’s?
He was halfway to the door when she came out, all bundled up in that ugly coat and galoshes she’d been wearing when he first met her. She looked small and lost and he felt an overpowering urge to hug her.
“Merilee,” he called.
She turned and her eyes opened wide at the sight of him. “Hi,” she stammered. “I’m afraid we’re just closing. Snow,” she added.
Behind her a middle-aged man slipped out the door and locked it. “Better hurry, Merilee. This stuff looks like it means business.”
She nodded, pulled her coat collar more tightly together, and looked up at Zach.
Suddenly he felt at a loss for words. “I was just at Pet Palace looking for you.”
Her face flamed and her gaze dropped. “I’m not working there anymore.”
“I know. I’m sorry. It’s because of what happened Saturday, isn’t it?”
She shrugged. “It’s not your fault. I should have been … more understanding.”
Her reply sounded like it that had been programmed into her. “It was an abuse of power and we both know it.” She didn’t have anything to say to that and they stood there for a moment, snow swirling around them. “Are they paying you enough here?” Dumb question. Of course, they weren’t. Working at an animal shelter was the kind of thing people did because they wanted to try to make a difference in the world, not because they wanted to make money. Now she looked embarrassed. “Sorry,” said Zach. “That’s none of my business.” Except it was partly his fault, so didn’t that make it his business? Sort of?
“I can pay my rent. Thanks for asking.”
But what about food? Utilities? “Look, could I pay you to help me with my cat?”
She shook her head. “Really, you don’t need to do that. It’s not your fault.”
“Yes … I do. Anyway, the fire department pays me more than I can spend.” Slight exaggeration but anything to convince her. Still she hesitated.
“This is a legit job,” he insisted, “Tom won’t eat. I just came from the vet’s.”
Her eyes filled with concern. “Oh, no.”
“I think he needs a cat whisperer, and you’re the closest thing I know. You’d really be helping us. So see? It would be a win-win.”
She smiled. Then she looked uncertainly at the snow quickly carpeting the parking lot. “My car.”
Was now the only one left in the lot and it was a beater—an ancient Chevy with tires that were going bald. “Tell you what,” offered Zach. “I’ll follow you home and then we can take my SUV. If you don’t mind making a house call,” he added. “I’ll pay you whatever the vet would have charged.”
“You don’t have to do that, really,” she repeated.
“I want to.” It was the least he could do. And maybe it would help Tom.
She came to a sudden decision and nodded. “All right then. I’ll just check on my cat and then we can go look in on yours.”
She hurried to her car and Zach climbed in behind the wheel of his Land Rover. This was great. For Tom, he amended.
EIGHT
As usual, Queenie was waiting for Merilee by the door. Not because Queenie was dying to see her, but because Queenie was dying to see what lay beyond the door. Merilee had informed her
Except Merilee. He needed to find a way to set things right for her. How, exactly, he was going to do that he had no idea.
Tom was getting restless in the backseat so Zach took him to the house and set him free. “Try to eat something, and don’t whiz in the house,” he told Tom, and then drove off.
Halfway to the animal shelter the snow started falling, big fluffy flakes that looked like they meant to stick. That was sure to result in traffic accidents and trouble. It didn’t snow a lot in the Northwest, but when it did people freaked out. He passed very few cars on the way to the shelter and once there he found only two in the parking lot, probably belonging to the employees. Was one of them Merilee’s?
He was halfway to the door when she came out, all bundled up in that ugly coat and galoshes she’d been wearing when he first met her. She looked small and lost and he felt an overpowering urge to hug her.
“Merilee,” he called.
She turned and her eyes opened wide at the sight of him. “Hi,” she stammered. “I’m afraid we’re just closing. Snow,” she added.
Behind her a middle-aged man slipped out the door and locked it. “Better hurry, Merilee. This stuff looks like it means business.”
She nodded, pulled her coat collar more tightly together, and looked up at Zach.
Suddenly he felt at a loss for words. “I was just at Pet Palace looking for you.”
Her face flamed and her gaze dropped. “I’m not working there anymore.”
“I know. I’m sorry. It’s because of what happened Saturday, isn’t it?”
She shrugged. “It’s not your fault. I should have been … more understanding.”
Her reply sounded like it that had been programmed into her. “It was an abuse of power and we both know it.” She didn’t have anything to say to that and they stood there for a moment, snow swirling around them. “Are they paying you enough here?” Dumb question. Of course, they weren’t. Working at an animal shelter was the kind of thing people did because they wanted to try to make a difference in the world, not because they wanted to make money. Now she looked embarrassed. “Sorry,” said Zach. “That’s none of my business.” Except it was partly his fault, so didn’t that make it his business? Sort of?
“I can pay my rent. Thanks for asking.”
But what about food? Utilities? “Look, could I pay you to help me with my cat?”
She shook her head. “Really, you don’t need to do that. It’s not your fault.”
“Yes … I do. Anyway, the fire department pays me more than I can spend.” Slight exaggeration but anything to convince her. Still she hesitated.
“This is a legit job,” he insisted, “Tom won’t eat. I just came from the vet’s.”
Her eyes filled with concern. “Oh, no.”
“I think he needs a cat whisperer, and you’re the closest thing I know. You’d really be helping us. So see? It would be a win-win.”
She smiled. Then she looked uncertainly at the snow quickly carpeting the parking lot. “My car.”
Was now the only one left in the lot and it was a beater—an ancient Chevy with tires that were going bald. “Tell you what,” offered Zach. “I’ll follow you home and then we can take my SUV. If you don’t mind making a house call,” he added. “I’ll pay you whatever the vet would have charged.”
“You don’t have to do that, really,” she repeated.
“I want to.” It was the least he could do. And maybe it would help Tom.
She came to a sudden decision and nodded. “All right then. I’ll just check on my cat and then we can go look in on yours.”
She hurried to her car and Zach climbed in behind the wheel of his Land Rover. This was great. For Tom, he amended.
EIGHT
As usual, Queenie was waiting for Merilee by the door. Not because Queenie was dying to see her, but because Queenie was dying to see what lay beyond the door. Merilee had informed her
Similar Books
